Rotary brush section

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical sweeper brush assembly includes a core provided with a longitudinal external keyway and a plurality of separate spaced side-by-side cirular brush elements mounted on the core. Each brush element includes a split circular channel with an outwardly facing peripheral opening and centrally bent radial bristles anchored in the channel by a wire engaging the bristle bights, which are clamped between the channel legs. The channel side walls on each side of the ring split are joined by a pair of separate connector plates which are affixed to the channel walls and are provided with inwardly directed key defining tongues which slidably register with the keyway.

United States Patent 1191 Gould 1 1 Oct. 8,1974

[5 ROTARY BRUSH SECTION 3,121,245 2/1964 Tilgner 15/181 x [76] Inventor.wmiamfiould, 93 Sagamore Rd. 3,602,936 9/1971 Drumm 15/181 Millburn, NJ.07041 [22] Filed: July 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,570

[52] US. CL. 15/181, 300/21 [51] Int. Cl. A461) 7/10, A46d 3/00 [58]Field of Search 15/181, 198, 199, 195, 15/204, 205, 230.14, 230.19,230.16, 182, 179, 183, 200; 300/21 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,085,202 6/1937 Sauer 15/198 X 2,447,966 8/1948 Stephens 15/181UX 2,824,327 2/1958 Van Clief, Jr... 15/182 X 2,935,756 5/1960 Petersonl5/182 2,977,621 4/1961 Tilgner..'... 15/182 3,042,951 7/1962 Tilgner15/182 3,068,504 12/1962 Peterson 15/198 3,107,381 10/1963 Tilgner15/182 3,107,382 Tilgner 15/182 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,032,286 6/1966 GreatBritain ...15/181 Primary Examiner-Leon G. MachlinAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard C. Miskin 57 ABSTRACT A cylindricalsweeper brush assembly includes a core provided with a longitudinalexternal keyway and a plurality of separate spaced side-by-side cirularbrush elements mounted on the core. Each brush element includes a splitcircular channel with an outwardly facing peripheral opening andcentrally bent radial bristles anchored in the channel by a" wireengaging the bristle bights, which are clamped between the channel legs.The channel side walls on each side of the ring split are joined by apair of separate connector plates which are affixed to the channel wallsand are provided with inwardly directed key defining tongues whichslidably register, with the keyway.

3Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 I ROTARY BRUSH SECTION BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates'generally to improvements inbrushes and it relates moreparticularly to an improved replaceablecircular or disc shaped brush element for rotary sweeper brushesemploying groups of these elements.

One type of rotary cylindrical sweeper brushes commonly include alongitudinal shaft and a plurality of side-by-side circular or discshaped brush units separapossess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages.The

coupling is generally of a unitary saddle shaped construction embracingthe channel side webs and cross web proximate the split in the ring withend pieces resting on top of the channel and joined to the ring bylancing the coupling member and channel side webs inwardly to forminterlocking lugsand openings. The resulting connection is awkward andunreliable and is difficult to accurately and suitably achieve andotherwise leaves much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide an improved brush construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcylindrical rotary sweeper brush construction.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedreplaceable circular brush unit for cylindrical rotary sweeper brushes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a member thatjoins the split ends of a disc section of coupling elements havingintegrally formed therewith a radially inwardly extending key definingtongue.

According to a preferred form of the improved brush unit the bristlesare medially bent to form bights which are located in the channel, thechannel side walls being crimpedtoward each other along the outerborders to tightly embrace the'bristles above their bights and 'a,

wire extends around the channel in engagement with the bights. Thecoupling elements are similarly shaped and symmetrically disposed, eachincluding an outer section which matingly engages the outwardly bulgedinner borders of the channel side walls and isspot welded thereto andextends along the channel cross wall. The key defining tongues arerectangular, parallel and longitudinally spaced and extend radiallyinwardly from the coupling element inner edges.

The improved brush element is simply and inexpen- I I sively assembledto close tolerances and is rugged and a rotary broom which can beassembled quickly and positively and which allows positioning in thekeyway of the core.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide areplaceable brush unit of the above nature characterized by itssimplicity, ruggedness, low cost,

high reliability and ease of construction and assembly.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with-the accompanying drawing.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a rotarybrush unit comprising a hub definin'g transversely split annular channelincluding any highlyreliable, versatile and adaptable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken along line 2 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary end view of another form of core used by asweeper brush; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3 3 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingwhich illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefer ence numeral 10 generally designates the improved brush unit whichis assembled with a plurality of similar units to form a rotary sweeperbrush 11 of cylindrical Configuration. 3

Each of the brush units 10 comprises'a hub defining split metal annulusor ring 12 of channel shaped cross section. The ring 12 includes aninner cylindrical base or cross wall 13 and flanges or side walls 14directed outwardly from the side edges of cross wall 13 and joinedthereto by curved elbows 16. The split ends" of the channel ring 12 arein end to end substantially adjacent alignment at a transverse radialsplit line 17.

A plurality of bristles 18 are anchored in the hub channel 12 about thefull circumference thereof, the

bristles projecting radially from the hub and diverging longitudinallyoutwardly. The bristles 18 are formed of any suitable material, such aswire or a stiff, highly abrasive resistant thermoplastic polymeric resinsuch as high tenacity polypropylene or nylon monofilaments or the like.The bristles 18 are-double bristle units bent at their middles to formbights 19 which nest in the hub channel 12 and a cable 20 engages thebases of the gathered bights 19 and extends around the hub channel 12 inengagement with the bases of the outer bights. The outer borders of thechannel side walls 14 are crimped or bent toward each other to tightlycompress and embrace the bristles 18 above their bights 19 to firmlyanchor the bristles 18 in the hub channel 12 and to form an outwardlybulged portion along the inner pair of longitudinally spaced similarlyshaped coupling elements 21. Each of the coupling elements 21 comprisesa flat radially and peripherally extending rectangular outer section 22joined by a curved elbow section 23 to a longitudinally projecting lip24 extending the length of the coupling element 21. Projecting radiallyinwardly from the edge of lip 24 is a key defining rectangular tongue 26medially located along and of lesser length than the lip 24. The tongues26 are longitudinally spaced and parallel.

A coupling element 21 registers with and overlies each pair of coplanarchannel side wall sections on peripherally opposite sides of the splitline 17, the coupling element elbow 23 and lip 24 engaging and embracingthe channel bulged inner side wall and elbow 16 and cross wall 13respectively. The outer section 22 of each coupling element 21 issecured to the underlying sections of channel side walls 14 by spotwelds 27 interconnecting the coupling element outer section 26 with therespective underlying channel side walls 14 in the area proximate thecorresponding elbows 16 and 23. It should be noted that the couplingelement sections 22 extend outwardly of the channel side walls 14 andthat their outer borders are longitudinally spaced. ZY t l thiqssiaeaipf urlns. lemen 21 and their configuration and relationship to thechannel 12 the spot welding thereof in an accurate and reliable manneris greatly facilitated and expedited and may be performed in anysuitable manner such as with the use of positioning jigs or the like.

The improved brush elements may be employed with a hollow tubular memberor shaft 28 provided on its outer face with a longitudinally extendingrectangular channel or keyway 29. Advantageously, the core or centralframework can be a group of longitudinal rods or angle irons spacedradially about a tube or transverse discs to form a support for thebrush element. As shown in FIG. 2A, four angle irons 30 are supportedabout a central generally tubular member. The hubs 12 of brush elements10 are slid onto the angle irons 30 with keys 26 between facing angleirons. Keys 26 are adapted to engage the angle irons in either directionof ibtardfi of the brush s tructure and to take up motion 3 from thebrush driving mechanisms. In assembling the rotary brush 11 the brushelements 10 are mounted in side by side relationship on shaft 28 bysliding the hubs 12 along the shaft 28, with the keys 26 being slidablyreceived in the keyway 29 or between angles 31, the

hubs 12 slidably mating with the shaft 28. Advantageously the brushelements 10 are spaced from each other by spacers 31. The assembledcylindrical brush is mounted on the sweeper in drive relationshiptherewith, the rotation of shaft 28 effecting the positive rotation ofthe brush elements 10 by way of the keys 26 and keyway 29 or angle 30.The worn brush elements l0 may be individually replaced on the shaft 28or they may be all replaced since they may be removed from the shaft andare thus separate from one another.

, While there has been described and illustrated preferred embodimentsof the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and addi tions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A- rotary brush unit comprising a hub defining transversely splitannular channel including an inner cross wall and outwardly directedside walls and having its ends in alignment and delineating said split,radially projecting bristles extending around said hub and having theirinner ends anchored in said channel, said bristles being bent to formmedial bights located in said channel, an anchoring wire engaging saidbights and extending in said channel about said hub, said channel sidewalls being inwardly crimped along their upper borders to tightlyembrace said bristles above said bights and form bulged borders alongthe inner portion of each side wall and a pair of separate couplingelements engaging each of said side walls and welded to sections of saidside walls on opposite sides of said split, each of said couplingelements being similarly shaped and symmetric to a transverse plane andhaving integrally formed therewith a radially inwardly extending keydefining tongue and each of said coupling elements further including anouter section with an inner border matingly engaging said side wallbulged borders and the adjacent border of said channel cross wall, saidcoupling element inner border and said side wall bulged border beingjoined by welding.

2. The brush unit of claim 1 wherein said tongues are parallel andlongitudinally spaced and extend radially inwardly from the confrontinginside edges of said cou pling element outer sections.

3. The brush unit of claim 2 wherein said key defining tongues are ofrectangular configuration.

1. A rotary brush unit comprising a hub defining transversely splitannular channel including an inner cross wall and outwardly directedside walls and having its ends in alignment and delineating said split,radially projecting bristles extending around said hub and having theirinner ends anchored in said channel, said bristles being bent to formmedial bights located in said channel, an anchoring wire engaging saidbights and extending in said channel about said hub, said channel sidewalls being inwardly crimped along their upper borders to tightlyembrace said bristles above said bights and form bulged borders alongthe inner portion of each side wall and a pair of separate couplingelements engaging each of said side walls and welded to sections of saidside walls on opposite sides of said split, each of said couplingelements being similarly shaped and symmetric to a transverse plane andhaving integrally formed therewith a radially iNwardly extending keydefining tongue and each of said coupling elements further including anouter section with an inner border matingly engaging said side wallbulged borders and the adjacent border of said channel cross wall, saidcoupling element inner border and said side wall bulged border beingjoined by welding.
 2. The brush unit of claim 1 wherein said tongues areparallel and longitudinally spaced and extend radially inwardly from theconfronting inside edges of said coupling element outer sections.
 3. Thebrush unit of claim 2 wherein said key defining tongues are ofrectangular configuration.